Aurelia George Morgan- Quotes from “Japan’s Failed Revolution”

“The Japanese political system is not known for engineering rapid change or fundamental transformations of existing systems. In fact it is renowned for precisely the opposite: for delivering ‘reform’ that represents ‘no change'” Japan’s Failed Revolution by Aurelia George Morgan

“[the Finance Ministry’s Top Bureaucrat] Muto is the prime minister and Koizumi is merely public relations” A METI official, as quoted in Japan’s Failed Revolution

“I must have attended nearly 90 Cabinet meetings. They lasted an average of 10 minutes each and all I did was sign documents” Kan Naoto, former Minister of Health and Welfare and previous leader of the opposition DPJ, illustrating how the occupation authority (SCAP)’s attempts to set up a Westminster style political system in Japan hasn’t quite worked out that way. Quoted in “Japan’s Failed Revolution” by Aurelia George Morgan

“This is a very important issue having relevance to the basic structure of the state. I have my own ideas about it. But, as prime minister and the president of the ruling party, I think I should not say what I think about it” An almost stereotypical “Japanese leadership style” comment from Prime Minister Mori in 2000, quoted in “Japan’s Failed Revolution” by Aurelia George Morgan

“I want independent voters to sleep all day” An alternative idea of how it is possible to win an election, from then PM Mori, just before the 2000 Lower House elections. Quoted in “Japan’s Failed Revolution” by Aurelia George Morgan
“This is going to be a battle in which either the LDP will destroy the Koizumi Cabinet or the Koizumi Cabinet will destroy the LDP” Another form of Japanese leadership, by then PM Junichiro Koizumi. Quoted in “Japan’s Failed Revolution” by Aurelia George Morgan

“…policy always comes second to politicking in the LDP…” Aurelia George Morgan, in “Japan’s Failed Revolution”

“No Japanese party unequivocally represents the interests of salary-earning, urban consumers who fall between the cracks of all the parties…”Aurelia George Morgan, in “Japan’s Failed Revolution”

“The majority of LDP members, although pro-capitalist (that is, they believe in private ownership of the means of production), are not necessarily pre-market (that is, allowing demand-supply factors to determine production and prices). They fear the havoc that market competition would wreak amongst the weaker industry sectors that form their main organised support base, and disguise their politically self-interested, anti-market position with a philosophy that is purported to oppose US or Anglo-Saxon, laissez-faire-style capitalism. Their views and policies have been variously described as ‘conservative socialism’, ‘financial socialism’, ‘mass democratic socialist system’ and ‘”quasi-socialistic” protection of strategic or politically influential interests’. In reality, their anti-market views are mainly an ideological cover for political self-interest, although ethnic pride may also be an element. Because a belief in the inherent superiority of the so-called ‘Japanese economic model’ is now difficult to maintain, their lingering belief in this system is expressed as a form of antipathy towards Anglo-American capitalism.” Aurelia George Morgan, in “Japan’s Failed Revolution”

“This phenomenon is even more unusual against a background of prime ministers with charisma bypass who have been inflicted on the Japanese people by ruling LDP factions regardless of popularity considerations. Koizumi’s immediate predecessors- prime ministers Mori and Obuchi- epitomised this phenomenon. Very few winners of the LDP factional races have also been able to claim a de facto popular mandate. So, if leadership requires followership, Koizumi is like no other leader in Japan’s postwar history.” Aurelia George Morgan in “Japan’s Failed Revolution”